Education

State gives extra Sh18 billion for permanent hiring of all 46,000 JSS intern teachers

Junior secondary school intern teachers hold a demonstration over poor pay in Isiolo town on May 13, 2024. (Photo: Waweru Wairimu/EV)

By Lucy Mumbi | Tuesday, June 18, 2024

The government is planning permanent and pensionable terms for all 46,000 of them and will hire 20,000 interns starting in July.

The Kenya Kwanza government has announced the allocation of an extra Sh18 billion for the permanent and pensionable employment of all 46,000 junior secondary school (JSS) intern teachers.

This is in addition to the Sh13.4 billion indicated in the 2024–25 budget to promote the JSS intern teachers and place them on permanent and pensionable terms.

Keep reading

The details were revealed on Tuesday, following a Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting chaired by President William Ruto at the State House, Nairobi, ahead of the tabling of the Finance Bill, 2024, report by the National Assembly's Finance and Planning Committee.

Molo MP Kuria Kimani announced the allocation at a briefing after the meeting, saying, “The PG was informed that adequate funds of Sh18 billion have been provided for the employment of all 46,000 junior secondary school teachers who are on internship."

He added, "Funds have also been provided to hire 20,000 interns next month. The policy is now to transition teachers from internships to permanent and pensionable terms."

JSS teachers have been taking to the streets since April 17, 2024, when schools resumed for a second term, demanding better employment terms.

On June 8, 2024, they called off the strike following productive negotiations with the National Assembly’s Labour and Education Committee, which resulted in the approval of some key demands and their presentation to the budget committee.

JSS National Spokesperson Bonface Omari noted that the suspension of the strike was to allow the passing of the 2024–2025 budget. He called on their employer to release a circular about their confirmation of permanent and pensionable terms immediately after the budget was passed.

“After a meeting of JSS county leaders, we resolved to suspend our demonstrations to pave the way for parliament to pass the 2024–2025 budget on Thursday," Omari said.

"Please note that this means the strike that began on April 17, 2024, has not been called off but suspended until July 5, 2024. By that date, we should have gotten communication on the status of the confirmation of the 46,000 teachers."

Two days later, however, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) terminated the contracts of 742 teachers, arguing that they failed to report to duty and engaged in professional misconduct.

The Ministry of Education has since initiated a review of the dismissals, with Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang emphasising that since the issue falls under labour relations, it will be addressed by the TSC along with the Ministry of Labour.